Recapping the Third Annual Will Barrow Flag Football Tournament

Charlottesville, VA – The Third Annual Will Barrow Flag Football Tournament was once again a great success as over 300 people showed up for the event held on Saturday, November 5 at Lambeth Field on the grounds of the University of Virginia.

UVA seniors Chris Clements and Colin Briggs helped keep the tournament alive during its third year and once again the lacrosse community was eager to support.

The tournament is held annually during the first weekend of November in remembrance of Will Barrow, an All-American midfield who played at UVA from 2004-2008. Tragically, Barrow took his own life in November of 2008 and friends of Will Barrow and members of the UVA lacrosse team have hosted this tournament every year since then in remembrance of their late friend.

The inaugural tournament was held in 2009, when Virginia lacrosse players Max Pomper and Mikey Thompson drew up the plans. They envisioned an event that would remember their friend and the positive contributions he made to the UVA community and also support a charity of their choosing. Pomper and Thompson partnered with the UVA Help Hotline, a 24-hour anonymous hotline that is available to students at UVA who need someone to talk to during times of crisis.

In the three years that the tournament has been held, the event has raised over $18,000 in donations to the UVA Help Hotline and priceless awareness for a service that Barrow’s friends wish he had known about. In the inaugural tournament, 30 teams were represented, many coming from hours away to help support the cause. In 2010 and 2011, 20 teams each year have come to Charlottesville and chosen to partake in what has proven to be a special day.

What is especially pleasing to the organizers of the event is the support from the greater lacrosse community. Over the past three years, men’s lacrosse teams from St. John’s, Johns Hopkins, North Carolina, Maryland, Towson, Villanova, Rutgers, Georgetown, and Penn State have all contributed to the cause. Additionally, some women’s teams have made the trip including Loyola, Johns Hopkins, American, and even Florida. The community atmosphere that these teams help generate continues to push this tournament onwards and help raise money to an outstanding cause.

This year’s event was nothing short of excellent and hopefully the pictures pay justice to the excitement enjoyed by all. Thanks go to all of the teams that have participated and the organizers of the event, specifically Chris Clements and Colin Briggs. We hope to be back again next year!

Lastly, if you would like to donate to the cause or have any other inquiries please email wbmemorial23@gmail.com for more information or mail a check made out to “Madison House” to: